New York Skyline: Everything You Need to Know About the Big Apple’s Big Buildings

Frequently Asked Questions

What famous New York skyscraper is shaped like a triangle?

Photo: Getty Images/Alexandr Spatari

Constructed in 1902 and rising 22 stories, the Flatiron Building is a triangular prism tower on a triangular lot in Manhattan, just across the street from Madison Square Park. Designed by architects Daniel Burnham and Frederick P. Dinkelberg in a Renaissance Revival and Beaux Arts style, it was originally named the Fuller Building, headquarters for the Fuller construction company. However, because its peculiar shape was reminiscent of a clothes iron, the Flatiron nickname quickly stuck. Built to its lot lines on all sides, the landmarked tower has a palazzo-type facade that extends from ground to roof, meant to assure of its strength and stability.

Where is the best view of the New York skyline?

To get the best view of the New York City skyline, get out of Manhattan. New Yorkers will tell you to head to the waterfront in Brooklyn or Queens to see the city’s architectural greats in one fell camera shot. In the former, Domino Park, just north of the Brooklyn Bridge, is one of the newest gathering spots for sunshine and vistas of Manhattan’s landmarks. The five-acre public park opened in 2018 with several lawns, benches, and loungers where one can peer over the East River at towers from Battery Park to Billionaire’s Row; the cityscape sunset here cannot be beaten. A bit further up in Greenpoint, there is a novel perspective offered from the same shore, a view of three borough skylines at once (Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Queens). Meanwhile, the outer promenade at Brooklyn Bridge Park rewards strolling visitors with an up close view of the Lower Manhattan skyline and the Statue of Liberty herself.

Just over the Pulaski Bridge in Long Island City, Queens, the interconnected Hunter’s Point South Park and Gantry State Plaza (adorned with a charming Coca-Cola sign) are other free, public options for skyline viewing. Whether in the daylight or twilight hours, a great vista of the Midtown icons can be seen from the many grassy expanses or the cantilevered observation deck designed by New York architecture firm Weiss/Manfredi.

Alternatively, if you’re interested in traversing the Hudson River, head to the waterfront in Jersey City, New Jersey. Here, the view of Manhattan focuses on the towers of the Financial District.

One of the most unique views of the New York City skyline can be seen from air. Helicopter tours of the city allow daring architecture lovers to circle Lower Manhattan for a bird’s eye view. For those not so adventurous, take a commercial flight into Newark Airport in New Jersey. On a clear day, just before landing, the New York skyline comes into full view just outside your airplane window.

From how far away can you see the New York skyline?

Depending on the weather, elevation, and location, some sources suggest the New York City skyline can be seen from as far away as 45 miles! On a clear day, hikers can spot the towers from cliffside at New York’s Bear Mountain State Park. And when driving Interstate-80 in Parsippany, New Jersey, there is a very distant view of the skyline from the road. Both are approximately 40 to 45 miles away. However, perfect conditions aren’t always available. In Tarrytown, New York, which is 20 miles from NYC, the Manhattan skyline is usually viewable from the 125-foot-high Tides of Tarrytown overlook, framed by the Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge (née Tappan Zee Bridge).